The invention relates to a television receiver for receiving television programs each belonging to one of a plurality of program categories.
Electronic program guides (EPGS) have recently been developed to allow a television viewer to navigate through the large amount of television channels which he can nowadays receive. An EPG provides an overview of present and future television programs. For each television program, it provides data such as the channel on which the program will be broadcast, the scheduled start time, length, title, description, etc. The EPG also classifies television programs according to type such as movies, news magazines, sports events, documentaries, etc., movie subtypes such as drama, action, etc., sports subtypes such as football, basketball, etc. and provides names of movie actors, news readers, quiz masters, etc. These and other program characteristics are hereinafter collectively denoted xe2x80x9ccategoriesxe2x80x9d.
With an EPG television receiver, the viewer cannot only access programs by channel (an electronic equivalent of printed program guides), he can also access television programs belonging to a certain category.
In practical embodiments of EPG television receivers, most emphasis is placed on the graphic layout of EPG screens. The user interface, including the presentation of information, is graphically oriented. A disadvantage thereof is that the television screen is often completely filled up with EPG information which makes it difficult to read at a normal viewing distance. It is necessary to sit in front of the television receiver and other members of the family are disturbed in watching the current program.
It is an object of the invention to further improve television receivers of the type described above.
To this end, in accordance with the invention, a television receiver for receiving television programs belonging to one of a plurality of program categories comprises: means for displaying menu items associated with respective program categories; user-operable input means for highlighting one of said menu items; and means for reproducing, in response to highlighting a menu item, an auditive signal being characteristic of the corresponding program category.
Examples of characteristic sounds are: a gong-stroke for news programs; a cheering audience for sports programs; a part of the tune of a James Bond film for movies. Thus, presenting program characteristics visually as well as auditively alleviates the problem that not all displayed information is equally legible. There is a greater chance of correctly interpreting feedback.
An embodiment of the receiver further comprises user-operable means for selecting a desired television program to be received when it is broadcast; and means for reproducing the auditive signal which is characteristic of the program category of the selected television program when said television program is about to be broadcast. In such an embodiment, the user is given an alert signal to remind him that a desired program starts or is about to start. The signal also indicates to which category that program belongs. For example, a cheering audience reminds the user of the football match which is about to start. The receiver even does not necessarily need to be fully operative.
In a particular advantageous embodiment of the television receiver, the means for reproducing the auditive signal include means for manipulating a parameter of the signal which is indicative of the time to lapse until the start of the selected television program. Preferably, said parameter is a parameter which is characteristic of a perceived distance, a larger perceived distance representing a larger time to lapse. Examples of such parameters are sound intensity, presence of high frequencies, and intensity of added reflections added to the signal. Experiments have shown that users quickly and easily associate perceived distance of sound with distance in time, and appreciate this metaphor to indicate the xe2x80x9curgencyxe2x80x9d of the reminder signal.